Ham Puffs

This was another fun appetizer that I made up for the bunco group. I had my wonton wrappers left over from my mini tacos on New Year's Eve, so I wanted to use them up on this recipe. I made half with onions and half without, but it didn't seem to matter since they were gone in a heartbeat also! Good thing, since I didn't want to have all this yummy food sitting around for me to finish up later! :)

Ham Puffs
(recipe found on justapinch.com)

1/3 cup chopped ham
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tube of crescent rolls or wonton wrappers

Roll out crescent rolls and press triangles together. Cut into 24 pieces. (Or skip this step and press wonton wrappers into the mini muffin pan.) Using a mini muffin pan, press dough into pan. Mix all ingredients together. Fill crescent rolls in muffin pan with mixture. Bake at 350 until brown (about 10-15) minutes. Enjoy!

Weekly Line Up - 3/28-4/3

It's birthday fun this weekend!! Last weekend was our youngest son's birthday and while we celebrated with just our family, this weekend is the "big" party with the extended family... We combine his birthday party with our oldest son's party each year - with so many grandkids in our family, it gets a little crazy, especially in April! Super excited to have the family over and try some new recipes... The boys each got to pick out a cake that they wanted so we are going to have cake coming out of our ears, but that's okay - it will be lots of fun! Check out the super cute cake that I made for the littlest one's actual birthday - LOVE IT!!

Friday - *Baked Portobello Parmesan
Saturday - *Tortellini Salad, *Crunchy Apple and Grape Salad, Crockpot Cheeseburgers, Cupcake Tractor made from *Marshmallow Filled Chocolate Cupcakes, #9 cake frosted with *White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Sunday - Corn Dogs
Monday - Teriyaki Chicken
Tuesday - ECFE (I'm bringing Easy Linguine Casserole)
Wednesday - *Slow Cooker Sausage, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
Thursday - Pick Your Own Night

Extras: *Apple Granola Muffins, Granola

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

So, the menu plan for bunco usually involves whatever kind of appetizers that you want to make up. Some of us are bakers and love to be in the kitchen... Others not so much. No matter what type we are, everyone has delicious appetizers and treats for before and during the games and then we all sit down for a fabulous dessert at the end. I had a hard time picking since I have so many dessert recipes that I want to try, but I just had to go with something chocolatey!! This definitely hit the spot and was super rich... Yummmm!

Chocolate Brownie Trifle
(recipe found on pinterest via scissorsandspatulas.com)

1 (19.8 ounces) package brownie mix (or use this recipe for homemade brownies - I doubled it)
1 (3.9 ounces) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounces) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12 ounces) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (1.5 ounces) bar chocolate candy, toffee chips, or other candy pieces

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1" squares. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the additional 12 ounces container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. I topped mine with toffee chips to give it the crunch! Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potatoes

So, when I moved back to Minnesota, I started subbing for the bunco group that my mom, a few of her friends and my sisters are a part of. They meet every other Monday during the school year and just hang out playing bunco or cards, eating and having some good adult time! Just what I need after a full day of only children all by myself!! This year I was asked to take on a regular spot and I was super excited... I actually get to have it at my house every once in a while and you all know that I am in my glory when I get to cook up fun food for a bunch of people! This was one of the recipes that I tried out, in fact as soon as I saw it I marked it to make for my first bunco night at my house - they were coming out of the oven as everyone was walking in so I wasn't able to get a picture and everyone (even the ones that aren't too excited about sweet potatoes) LOVED these so much that I didn't have any left when the night was through! Super yummy!!

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potatoes
(recipe found in Taste of Home)

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 pound bacon strips, halved
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
maple syrup, warmed (I skipped this step)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix butter and seasonings. Add sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Wrap one piece bacon around each sweet potato cube; secure with a toothpick. Dip each side in brown sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined baking pan. Bake 40-45 minute or until bacon is crisp and sweet potato is tender. Mine took a bit longer. Serve with maple syrup if desired.

Mini Tacos

I wanted to make something a little special for the kids on New Year's Eve before we headed out for a night out with our friends and they have been loving tacos lately so this was the perfect fit! The bottoms ended up a little greasy from the taco meat, but they were still fabulous and we ended up not having enough for everyone to have as many as they wanted!! The kids loved having the "finger food" aspect and being able to put all their own toppings on, just like a regular taco! These would make wonderful appetizers also, even though we had them for supper!

Mini Tacos
(recipe found on pinterest via flickr.com)

24 wonton wrappers
1 pound ground beef
2 packet taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons picante sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Press wonton wrappers into mini-muffin cups. Cook beef in skillet until browned. Drain off fat. Stir in taco seasoning mix and picante sauce. Spoon beef mixture into wonton cups. Top with salsa and cheese. Bake about 8 minutes or until wontons are golden brown. Serve immediately with additional salsa. Garnish with sour cream and sliced ripe olives if desired.

White Chocolate Snack Mix

When we get together for a party, everyone usually pitches in and brings a dish to share. Usually it's just one dish, but of course, I have to go overboard half the time (okay, more then half) and I made up two dishes to share on New Year's Eve. Not that I'm trying to show anyone up, I just have so many recipes that I want to try that it kills me to pick only one! While I loved the Jalapeno Popper Dip that I brought along, I also wanted something sweet to go along with it... And along with the sweet needs to come the salty! This recipe was super easy to throw together and tasted awesome!! The kids were fighting over it before we left so I had to bag up some for them to have the next day, good thing that I doubled it! Delish...

White Chocolate Snack Mix
(recipe found on pinterest via creationsbykara.com)

1 bag microwave popcorn, popped
4 cups corn pops cereal
4 cups fritos corn chips
1 bag white chocolate chips

Remove the unpopped kernels from the popcorn. Stir together popcorn, corn pops, and fritos in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave at half power. Stir it every 30-45 seconds to make sure it doesn't burn. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn mixture and stir to coat. Let sit for a few minutes till the chocolate hardens.

Tips:
-*To remove the unpopped kernels from popcorn, place it in a bowl with a gridded cooling rack on top. Holding the cooling rack in place, flip the whole thing over. Gently shake. The kernels will fall through the holes, but the popcorn will stay in the bowl. Works like a charm!

Weekly Line-Up - 3/21-3/27

What a fun week we have planned! The hubs and I are going on a mini one night vacation... long overdue since it was part of his Christmas present!! And then when we get back we get to celebrate with our son that will be 3 this week! I can't believe it has been 3 years that he has been with us - seems like just yesterday that I was pregnant... Time definitely flies! Wrestling has officially finished and most of our running has come to an end - not all, but most! I have definitely been enjoying the slower paced days, the "tiny" bit nicer weather and we have been able to get outside a little more! I'm hoping that this week brings more of that!!

Friday - Night out for the hubs and I - the kids are hitting the local fish fry with my brother and his wife!
Saturday - Omelots
Sunday - Birthday dinner - He picked Mac-N-Cheese and Fish Sticks for the celebration! :)
Monday - *Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Tuesday - ECFE - they are providing supper!
Wednesday - *Salsa Chicken Casserole
Thursday - Creamy White Wine Dill Pork Chops

Extras - B's birthday cake! I have been eyeballing this #3 cake for a while on pinterest and I am busting it out for Sunday dinner at my mom's. I can't wait!! The design is a three and you can use whatever cake mix you want, so I grabbed the recipe for a *Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cake and we are going to try that... I can't wait!! That's why they are getting omelots for supper on Saturday, mama's got some baking to do! :) and *Cranberry White Chocolate Chex Mix

* = new recipes

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I'm a big fan of spicy things and luckily I am married to a man that shares my taste and we hang out with friends that enjoy the spiciness also! So, I didn't pause for a second when I was debating what to bring to our New Year's Eve party that we were going to. I picked this out and it was a great pick for sure! Everyone dug in and there wasn't a bite left when the night was through.

Jalapeno Popper Dip
(recipe found on pinterest)

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) diced jalapeno peppers, undrained
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
assorted crackers, I loved the garlic flavored Ritz crackers with this...

Preheat oven to 350. Pulse cream cheese, mayonnaise, pepper jack, chilies, peppers and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a food processor until blended. Spoon into an ungreased 1 1/2-quart baking dish. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil and remaining Parmesan. Sprinkle over cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Corn Casserole

If you are looking for a healthy side dish, this may not be it... If you are looking for a recipe that makes your taste buds explode, this will definitely be it!! I love a good corn dish that has a bit more to it and the hubs fell all over himself trying to get more onto his plate. He was super excited about this as a side dish and I know that it will be made again soon!

Corn Casserole
(recipe found on pinterest via hello010.blogspot.com)

1 box corn muffin mix
1 can cream corn
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup sour cream

Mix all ingredients together, adding sour cream last. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls

These are also definitely on the make again list... Wow, they were super good and pretty easy to throw together. This was a great recipe to make with another batch of cookies since there were a few steps where you needed to let them sit in the freezer for a bit and that allowed me to mix up another batch of cookies that went into the oven. Love to multi task - even in the kitchen! :)

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls
(recipe found on pinterest via momsneedtoknow.com)

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 package (15.25 oz) oreos with peppermint cream, finely crushed (I couldn't find these so I just used 1 package of regular oreos with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract)
1 package(4.25 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 bag starlight mints or a few candy canes, finely crushed (I found a bag of crushed candy canes at the store and snatched those up!!)

Mix cream cheese and crushed Oreos until very well blended. Scoop out balls and round them with your hands. Place in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (this will allow them to firm up and make the coating process much easier).
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. Working quickly, coat cookie balls with chocolate. Use 2 forks to help ensure that they get coated well. Place coated balls back on the parchment paper and sprinkle with crushed starlight mints/candy canes.
Return oreo cookie balls to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to completely firm up.

Cheeseburger Casserole

I love a good cheeseburger and a casserole that has all the cheeseburger ingredients will work just as well! :) I was a little worried about the bread getting soggy on the bottom, but it didn't and this recipe was pretty dang good! The kids loved the pickles on top the best! I doubled this and froze one up for later... not so good from the freezer, definitely much better freshly made.

Cheeseburger Casserole
(recipe found on www.justapinch.com)

BEEF MIXTURE
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon beef bouillon, canned
2-3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
3 teaspoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon lawry's salt

SEPARATE LAYERS OF THE CASSEROLE
1 box macaroni and cheese, prepared according to package directions
6 slices bread
2 cups cheese, shredded
1/2 small onion, minced
3 large pickles

Preheat oven to 440 degrees. Butter slices of bread and put them butter side down in an ungreased baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the bread. Combine all the ingredients in beef mixture in a large skillet. Brown the meat until it is almost done. Pour mac and cheese over top of cheese and bread layer. Then pour meat mixture onto the mac and cheese. Sprinkle the other cup of shredded cheese on top of the meat. Then sprinkle the pickles and onions on top. Squeeze "zig-zags" of ketchup on top of the casserole. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is all melted and the meat is all done.

These Hands Board

I got a little crafty with some of the left over wood that we have sitting around from when we redid our sauna. I decided that I was going to try out an idea that I saw on pinterest and if it worked out then that was the gifts that my daycare kids were going to give their parents for Valentine's Day! They turned out so cute!! I couldn't stand it!! Since most of the kids that are in my daycare are nieces and nephews, I knew that it would look cute with just their hands, but it would look WAY cuter with the whole families hands... This took a bit more effort since most of the kids are older and I had to get them over to my house to paint their hands and then let it dry before the next kiddo came over. But, it got done and the results were definitely worth the effort - everyone loved them! Here's an example of how mine turned out...

Each handprint has the kiddo's name written on it and our last name goes down the side... So, for those of you that need a little help (like my auntie did) it reads "These (hands) hold our (hearts) forever!" Love how it turned out!!

Weekly Line Up - 3/7-3/13

It's been a wild few months but our winter sports and activities are slowing coming to a close... We only have a few more nights of ECFE and only one more guaranteed weekend of wrestling, depending on how the boys do this weekend. I love that they are active in a variety of things, but it is nice to know that we aren't going to have to rush out the door every night of the week! And the weather is starting to cooperate a little bit... the kids have had their bikes out and the snow is starting to gradually melt. I know that winter isn't quite over but the signs are there that we can get some outdoor time pretty soon! Yay!! Here's what is on the plan for this upcoming week!

Friday - *Pepperoni Pizza Roll-Ups
Saturday - *Crockpot Cheeseburgers
Sunday - Thai Chicken Salad
Monday - Grilled Cheese and Spaghettios
Tuesday - ECFE
Wednesday - *Chicken and Spinach Flautas and Slow Cooker Refried Beans
Thursday - *Slow Cooker White Bean Soup

Extras - banana bread

* = new recipes

Hershey Kiss Gingerbread Cookies

Wow, wow, wow - these were one of my favorite new cookie recipes that I made for Christmas this year - BY FAR!! I will definitely be making these every year. They were so soft and delicious and I loved the combination of gingerbread and chocolate. There are certain cookies that I make every year at Christmas time and these are definitely going on that list!!

Hershey Kiss Gingerbread Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via www.yummly.com)

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
48 Hershey kisses, unwrapped

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, molasses and vanilla; mix well. On low speed gradually add flour mixture and beat until well mixed. Press dough into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 and roll dough into 1" balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown. Remove from oven and immediately press a kiss into the center. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Fudge

I'm still trying to get caught up on all the new recipes that I was making when my computer was down and out... Finally made it up to the Christmas baking section of my recipes! So, it may be a little after Christmas, but you might want to keep these recipes for next year because they were fabulous! Let's start with some fudge!

I usually try a different fudge recipe every year for Christmas and I have found some good ones and some that are a breeze to throw together... These were super yummy and not too difficult to make. They lasted perfectly in the fridge and were yummy to snack on through the week! :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Fudge
(recipe found on pinterest via www.bunsinmyoven.com)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the fudge:
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup half and half
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil, leaving a 1 inch overhang. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. To prepare the cookie dough, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, salt, and half and half. Stir in the flour until incorporated. Set aside. To make the fudge base, combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, and half and half in a saucepan. Stir over medium low heat until the butter has melted and the brown sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Stir in the vanilla. Add the cookie dough to the fudge base and stir to combine. Mix in the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Chill until set, at least 3 hours. Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Granola

This is another recipe that we made at the cooking class that I was in this summer. It has a fabulous taste to it and isn't as high in calories as store bought granola. I like to bake mine for a little longer so that it is crispier...

Granola
(recipe found at Simply Good Eating Cooking Class)

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins, dried fruit mix, cranberries or preferred ingredients
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup honey

Heat oven to 275. Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Stir together oil and honey. Dirzzle over oat mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture on to prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir in extra ingredients. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over bake. It will be soft out of the oven, but crisps up as it cools.

Apple Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Bake

Breakfast is such a fabulous meal... I love all the different dishes that you can make and since I don't always enjoy getting up early to make a complicated breakfast for the family, I like to have breakfast for supper quite often. I really enjoyed this meal, sausage always gives it that extra kick! :)

Apple Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Bake
(recipe found on pinterest via www.bettycrocker.com)

2 packages (12 ounces each) breakfast sausage links
1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
2 medium apples, peeled, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups bisquick mix
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 eggs

Heat oven to 375. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In 12" skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in pie filling and apples. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish. Top with 1 cup of the cheese. In large bowl, stir bisquick mix, milk, salt, pepper and eggs with wire whisk or fork until blended. Pour evenly over cheese. Bake 30 to 37 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Weekly Line Up - 3/7-3/13

A slow week for cooking up meals this week... We have a lot going on, but luckily a lot of nights where I don't have to bring anything! Thank goodness... this week has been a little wild and I need a few days to recover1

Friday - wrestling (we are actually eating out tonight!)
Saturday - Rink Party
Sunday - chicken on the grill
Monday - green eggs and ham (my daughter's pick for a meal this week - she was obviously still pretty excited about Dr. Seuss night last week!)
Tuesday - ECFE
Wednesday - *BBQ Chicken Soup
Thursday - *Ramen Noodle Broccoli Cole Slaw Wraps

* = new recipes

Apple Spinach Salad

We made this recipe this summer when I took a simply good eating cooking class with a few friends. I am not a big fan of tart apples, but in this recipe they were perfect!! I love it, but the kids not so much, so we don't have it as often as I would like to. I do make them eat it every once in a while though since I love it so much!

Apple Spinach Salad
(recipe found at Simply Good Eating Cooking Class)

4 cups spinach leaves
1 medium tart apple, cut into bite size chunks
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Wash spinach thoroughly and pat dry. Tear into bite size pieces and place in bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. Add apple, onion and cranberries to oil mixture and toss to coat apples. Let stand ten minutes. Add ingredients to salad bowl and toss with spinach. Refrigerate leftovers.

Baked Ravioli

As you all know, I completely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE recipes that are super simple to throw together and that my kids will enjoy. This recipe was both of these things and we all thought it was fabulous! Although I didn't freeze this one, it would be a super easy one to make as a freezer meal...

Baked Ravioli
(recipe found on pinterest via amylynntitus.blogspot.ro)

frozen ravioli
1 jar of marinara sauce
2 cups of mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400. Spray bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in single layer over sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in center. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Artichoke and Parmesan Tilapia

We like eating fish in our house and tilapia is usually hanging out in our freezer on a weekly basis... I like the taste of it, but I wanted to have a different recipe to pair it with other then the one that I usually use. I like the taste of artichokes and parmesan, so this seemed like a nice bet! The hubs and I both really enjoyed this recipe and we will definitely be using it again...

Artichoke and Parmesan Tilapia
(recipe found on pinterest via www.laaloosh.com)

1 pound tilapia
6 ounces artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Wash tilapia, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients and top tilapia with mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Beer Dip

This recipe makes a huge batch, which is both good and bad... Good because this dip is so yummy that you want to keep eating and eating it. Bad because this dip is so yummy that you want to keep eating and eating it! :) I made this for our girls weekend and left half of it home for the guys... They didn't end up getting it all eaten, so the gorge fest continued when we got home and saw that there was some left! This is perfect with pretzels and tasted fabulous (in case I had mentioned enough times how good this dip is...)

Beer Dip
recipe found on pinterest via www.ladybehindthecurtain.com)

4 (8 ounces each) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup beer
2 envelopes ranch salad dressing mix
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
pretzels

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, beer and dressing mix until blended. Stir in cheese. Serve with pretzels.

Valentine Cookies

Usually when I bake up a treat, it is all from scratch... I don't use a lot of premade ingredients, but sometimes you can't help but do it - especially when it turns out as cute as these did. I made these Valentine cookies for the paraprofessionals in my kids' classrooms and since I overbought, we made up bags for all the daycare kids as well. I also made sure to save a few for the hubs since he LOVES these wafer cookies! The best part of these cookies? They were so simple to make that the kids were able to help bake their teachers treats! I honestly think that these would be great for any holiday! I just bought some cute Valentine treat bags from the store and sent them on their way... Super fun!

Valentine Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via craft-o-maniac.com)

wafer cookies (I bought 4 small packages for what I made)
candy melts or melting chocolate
sprinkles

Melt chocolate using double boiler method. Dip half of wafer cookie into the chocolate.

Place on wax paper and cover with sprinkles.

Let stand to harden chcoolate.

Bag 'em up!